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Team News: Diafra Sakho back in West Ham United starting lineup

West Ham United's top goalscorer Diafra Sakho returns to the starting XI for their game with Aston Villa.

Diafra Sakho has returned to the West Ham United team for today's game at home against an out-of-form Aston Villa side.

The forward, who has scored five league goals already this season, missed last weekend's 2-2 draw at Stoke through injury, but Sam Allardyce has brought him straight back into the starting XI at Upton Park this afternoon.

The visitors have also made one change - albeit enforced - with Gabriel Agbonlahor leading the line in the absence of the suspended Christian Benteke.

Despite Villa experiencing their worst run of form in the club's history after losing six league games in a row, Paul Lambert has largely retained faith with the side that lost 2-1 in the dying seconds to Spurs last Sunday.

West Ham: Adrian, Jenkinson, Reid, Collins, Cresswell, Kouyate, Downing, Sakho, Noble, Song, Valencia
Subs: Jaaskelainen, Nolan, Tomkins, Carroll, O'Brien, Amalfitano, Cole

Aston Villa starting XI: Guzan, Lowton, Vlaar, Baker, Cissokho, Sanchez, Westwood, Cleverley, Weimann, N'Zogbia, Agbonlahor
Subs: Given, Clark, Bacuna, Cole, Senderos, Richardson, Bent

Follow all the action from Upton Park here.

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Stewart Downing of West Ham celebrates scoring his team's second goal with his team-mates during the Barclays Premier League match on November 1, 2014
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